Friday, March 29, 2013

The cock crowed...

Luke 22.55-65When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, ‘This man also was with him.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘Woman, I do not know him.’ A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, ‘You also are one of them.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I am not!’ Then about an hour later yet another kept insisting, ‘Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about!’ At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.

If anyone wants to see the exact courtyard where Peter was standing in this incident, this is it:

This is the courtyard outside Caiaphas' palace in Jerusalem. We know it is Caiaphas' palace, the residence of the High Priest, due to historical memory, as it has always been known as such to locals. Also, when they began excavating the area in modern times, they discovered a stone ossuary (a burial box which contains human bones) with the inscription "Caiaphas, Hight Priest" carved into it.

These are the very stones Jesus would have been led up and down to his trial.

This is the path he would have been taken down to be taken to Pilate and the events of Good Friday.

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your
family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be
betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer
death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.